Tide-motor.



G. DEGAGNE.

TIDE MOTOR.

I APPLICATION FILED DEO.31.1909.

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G. DEGAGNE. 'rmnmowon. APPLICATION FILED 1120.31.1909.

978,1 17. Patented Dec. 1910.

v 3 SHEETS-31131 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE DEGAGNE, OF HOUGHTON, MICHIGAN.

TIDE-MOTOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonen DEGAGNE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Houghton, in the county of I-Ioughton and State of Michigan,have invented new and useful Improvements in Tide -Motors, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for utilizing the tidal flow of thesea and for converting the same into power in such a manner that thepower thus derived shall be available for manufacturing and otherpurposes.

The invention consists in suitable basins or reservoirs adapted toreceive and confine the tide water as it rises; in connection with a drybasin disposed in suitable proximity to said reservoirs for the purposeof receiving the discharge from the latter which is utilized for thepurpose of driving suitable hydraulic motors.

The invention further consists in the improved construction and novelarrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter describedand particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of the invention; it being however understood, that no limitationis necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,but that changes, alterations and modificationswithin the scope of theinvention, may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of the plant constructed inaccordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional viewenlarged taken on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3is a vertical sectional view enlarged taken on the plane indicated bythe line 33 in Fig.

1. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view enlarged taken on the planeindicated by the line 44 in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional view takenhorizontally through the side and rear walls of the dry basin.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by likecharacters of reference.

In carrying this invention into practical operation, a sea wall A ofmassive dimensions is suitably constructed of masonry, concrete or othermaterial or materials. Said wall comprising a front wall 6 facing thesea and side walls or wings 7-7 extending from the ends of said frontwall toward the shore. The entire wall is made of such a Specificationof Letters Patent.

Applicationfiled December 31, 1909.

Patented Dec. 6, 1910.

Serial No. 535,865.

height that the top thereof shall be somewhat elevated above normal hightide, and the base of the front wall of said wall shall be slightlyelevated above normal low tide; the bases of the wings 77 of the wallobviously following the shore line until they merge with the latter. Thearea confined within the sea wall and its arms or wings may be excavatedto any desired depth, it being understood that the foundations of thewall are to extend below any such excavation and the excavation may befloored with a suitable concrete or cement composition.

A back wall 8 approximately parallel to the front wall 6 is constructedintermediate the terminal ends of the side walls 7 and said back wall isconnected with the front wall by partition walls 99 whereby an inclosurewhich I describe as the dry basin 10 1s partitioned off from the endbasins or reservoirs 11. The front wall 6 and the side walls 7 areprovided with tunnels or passages 12 arranged at various levels andcoinmunicating at their inner ends with the reservoirs 11; said tunnelsconstituting water passages which may be closed by means of gates orcutoffs 13, said gates or cut-offs be ing controlled by operatingmechanism including for each gate, a drum 14, a flexible member such asa chain 15 connecting the gate with the drum and adapted to be woundupon the latter, and drum operating mechanism comprising suitablegearing 16, and a shaft 17 having a hand wheel 18. The top of the wallconstitutes a walk or driveway, the same being protected by a railing19. Similar ducts or tunnels 20 having gates or closures adapted to beoperated by hand wheels 21 extend through the front wall and connect thefaces of the latter with the dry basin 10; said front wall is alsoprovided with a large opening 22 controlled by massive gates 23 openingoutward.

The partition walls 9 and the back wall 8 are provided with pits 24;wherein water wheels 25 of the turbine type are supported for operation;said pits being provided with discharge apertures 26 communicating withthe dry basin. The turbines are supplied with water from a flue orpassageway 27 which communicates with the reservoirs 11 through archpassages 28. Storage cavities 29 are formed in the back wall 8 directlyopposite to each turbine supported in said back wall; the turbine pitsbeing connected with the supply flue 27 through passages 30, the

walls of which are preferably inclined in such a manner as to projectthe Water 111' the direction of the turbine at the most advantageousangle.

The partition walls 9 are provided with exit ducts 33 which communicatewith the bottom of the dry basin through passages 34 as shown in dottedlines in Fig. 3 of the drawings; said exit ducts being provided withoutlets as will be best seen at 35 in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

In operation, when the tide is flowing water is admitted through thetunnels or passages 12 into the reservoirs 11, the gates at thedifferent levels being successively closed so as to confine water withinthe reservoirs. lVhen the tide has reached its maximum height and thewater in the reservoirs is at the maximum level, the inlet gates haveall been closed and water will now be admitted through the passages 28to the flue 30 and thence to the turbine pits from which it escapes intothe dry basin through the openings 26. Suitable mechanism includinggearing 36 and shafts 37 may be used for transmitting the powerdeflected by the turbines to the point of utilization. The wateraccumulated in the dry basin may, when the tide recedes, be permitted toescape through the tunnels 20 and the gate protected opening 22.

It will be seen from the foregoing description taken in connection withthe drawings hereto annexed, that a simple and effective plant has beenprovided for utilizing the power of the tides and that apart from thecost of installation, a practically unlimited amount of power may bedeflected at a nominal expense.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A device ofthe character described, comprising walls forming a dry basin and areservoir, tunnels or passages connecting said basin and reservoir withthe tidal flow, turbine pits in the walls confining the dry basin andhaving outlets into the latter, a flue extending through said walls, andpassages connecting said flue with the reservoir and with the turbine.

2. In a device of the character described, walls forming a reservoir anda dry basin, tunnels extending at various levels through the wall andcommunicating at their inner ends with the reservoir, gates adapted toobstruct said tunnels, passages extending through the wall andcommunicating with the dry basin, means for obstructing said passages,turbine pits in the walls adjacent to the dry basin, and havingdischarge passages communicating with the dry basin, a flue in the wallssurrounding the dry basin and having passages communicating with theturbine pits and with the reservoir, and storage cavities in the wallscommunicating with the flue adjacent to the turbine pits.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE DEG-AGNE. lVitnesses:

PAUL Tron, It. T. LooNEY.

